Combined support and tie for concrete-reinforcing bars.



' Mfneaaes G. R. SCHOENTHALER.

COMBINED SUPPORT AND THE FOR CONCRETE REINFORCING BARS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26. 1915.

l ,1 89,297. Patented July 4, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

G n. SCHOENTHALER.

COMBINED SUPPORT AND TIE FOR CONCRETE REINFORCING BARS. APPLICATION FILED MAR.26.1915.

1,1 89,297. Patented July 4, 1916.

2 SHEETS--SHEET 2.

Mi Geaye EJcWm/fa/er GEORGE B. SCHOENTHALER, OF CfiICAGQ, ILLINOIS.

COMBINED SUPPORT AND TIE FOB CONCRETE-REINFORCING BARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 4, 1916.

Application filed March 26, 1915. Serial No. 17,150.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that L-Gnonon R. SCHOEN- 'rHALnR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Combined Supports and Ties for Concrete-Reinforcing Bars, of

which the following is a full, clear and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a perspective, view of a concrete reinforcing bar support and tie. of my improved construction. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the form of sup ort and tie seen in Fig. 1, applied to a pair of crossed reinfpr cing bars. Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the combined support and tie,the same being associated with a pair of reinforcing bars. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of the combined support and tie. Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the form of support and tie seen in Fig. 4, and which support and tie is applied to a pair of crossed reinforcing bars. Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of a further modified form of the device, the same being associated with a air of bars.' Fig. 7 is a plan view of the orm of device seen in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a further modified form of the device. Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of the form of device seen in Fig. 8, and showing the same associated with a pair of reinforcing bars. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of 'a further modified form of the device. Fig. 11 is a side elevational view of the form of device seen in 40 Fig. 10 and showing the same associated with a pair of reinforcing bars. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a further modified form of the device. Fig. 13 is a side elevational view of the form of device seen 46 in Fig. 12 and showing the same with a pair of reinforcing bars. Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a further modified form of the device. Fig. 15 is a sideelevational view of the form of device seen in 60 Fig. 14 and showing the same associated with a pair of reinforcing bars. Fig. 16 is aperspective view of a further modified form of the device. Fig. 17 is a perspective view of a further modified form of the de- 66 vice. Fig. 18 is a side elevational view of the form of device shown in Fig. 17 and associated b which device is associated with a pair of crossed reinforcing bars.

My invention relates generally to reinforcing concrete construction, and more particularly to a combined support and tie for the metal rods used in reinforcing concrete floors, ceilings, walls and the like.

In'reinforcing concrete fioors, ceilings and Walls, it is desirable, and in nearly all instances, essential that the reinforcing rods be supported in a substantial manner in a plane above and away from the temporaryflooring or form upon which the concrete is laid, and to this end I have devised a comparatively simple, strong and inexpensive support and tie which is formed from a single piece of resilient wire, and which can be readily combined with reinforcing rods so as to efi'ect-ually tie the same together and hold or support said rods a substantial distance above or away from the floor or form while the concrete, in plastic condition, 1s bemg poured or distributed thereupon.

The combined support and tie herein shown and described is an improvement on the devices forming the subject-matter of my applications, Serial No. 811,669, filed January 12, 1914, and No. 827,118, filed March 25, 1914.

The principal objects of my present invention are to provide a combined support and tie which can be easily and quickly ap-. plied to a pair of crossed reinforcing rods; to construct a device having a cross tie between the supporting legs and which cross tie rests upon the floor or form on which the device is located, thereby imparting to the device great lateral strength, and further to provide a device having a resilient bar engaging arm which is provided with a lateral portion which crosses and bears upon one of the reinforcing bars so as to form a fulcrum for the resilient arm when the same is bent downward to engage the reinforcing With the foregoing and'other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

The form of device illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive is formed of a single section of material, such as resilient steel wire, the same being bent to form a pair of upright parallel legs 1, the same being spaced a sufficient distance apart to accommodate a reinforcing bar, and the lower ends of said legs being united by a transverse member 2 which when the device is applied for use bears upon the fioor or form on which the concrete is poured, thereby imparting to the device and particularly the legs 1 sufiicient strength to resist considerable lateral pressure which may be imparted to the device before it is embedded in the concrete.

The upper portions of the legs 1 are bent downward as designated by 3 and these portions are bent slightly upward at their lower ends to form a pair of rounded seats 4 which occupy substantially the same horizontal plane and which are adapted to receive the lower one A of a pair of crossed reinforcing bars. From one of these seats l, the end portion of the section of wire extends outward to form a resilient arm 5 which terminates in a horizontally disposed half round hook 6 which is adapted to engage over the upper one B of the reinforcing rods when the device is combined therewith as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

From the opposite one of the seats 4, the end portion of the section of wire is extended outward to form a resilient arm 7,

the central portion of which is bent laterally as designated by 8. Before the device is applied to a pair of rods, the transverse portion 8 occupies a position slightly above that occupied by the hook 6, and when the device is applied to the rods, said transverse portion 8 overlies and bears upon the upper bar B, thus forming a fulcrum for the outer portion of the arm 7 when it is bent down ward to engage said upper bar. The pressure created by bending the outer portion of arm 7 downward is equalized between the parts which engage the bars, namely, the seats 4, hooks 6 and 9 and transverse member 8. The outer end'of arm 7 terminates in a transverselydisposed U-shaped hook 9 which is adapted to engage beneath the upper one of the bars B when the device is associated therewith.

When applied to a pair of crossed reinforcing bars, the lower bar A is positioned on the seats a with the upper bar B positioned between the short arm 5 and the oppoisite portion of arm 7. The hook 6 engages over the upper bar B and the transverse portion 8 overlies said upper bar immediately adjacent to said book 6. The outer portion of arm 7 which normally occupies the position shown by dotted lines a, in Fig. 3, is bent downward until hook 9 engages beneath theupper bar B and owing to the resiliency of said arm, said hook will press upwardly on saidupper bar and at the same time the seat portions 4 of the device will be forced upward with pressure against the lower bar A, thereby firmly looking the bars to each other and supporting the same the desired distance above the form or floor upon which the concrete is poured.

When the device is constructed of heavy wire, the legs 1 may be formed so as to occupy vertical positions as shown by dotted line b, Fig. 3, or where the device is constructed of comparatively light wire, said legs will, under load, deflect to the position illustrated by dotted lines 0, Fig. 3,and when the load is removed the device and the bars supported thereby will resume their normal in said figure.

Where it is desired to' form the device with stifi' unyielding supports, the wire of which the device is formed is bent to form substantially U-shaped legs 10, the same be ing connected on one side by a transverse member 11, (see Figs. 4 and 5.) The remaining portion of the device is constructed the same as the form of device already described and when this modification is combined with reinforcing bars, the lower one is seated immediately above the U-shaped legs 10 as seen in Fig. 5

A further modification of the stiff unyielding support is illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 wherein the supporting legs are in the form of coils 12, the same being connected on one side by a transverse member 13. When this form of device is applied to the reinforcing bars, the lower one thereof lies immediately on top of the coils 12 as illustrated in Fig. 6.

In the form of device illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, the arm 5, instead of being prov1ded with the hook 6, terminates in a depending portion 14 which performs the functions of a foot or supporting leg, thus having an additional support for the device at a point substantially in front of the transverse memposit'ions as seen by solid lines her which connects the lower portions of I ends of said arms. In this construction both resilient arms fulcrum upon the upper ones of the reinforcing bars when the device is applied for use, (see Fig. 11.)

In the modification illustrated in Figs. 12 and 13, the end of the short arm 5 is bent laterally into substantially inverted U-shape as designated by 16 to form a seat which overlies the upper one of the reinforcing bars and the end of this overlying portion is provided with a hook 17 which receives the long arm 7, the same in this instance being straight and provided at its end with a laterally extending hook 9 Thus the hook 17 forms a fulcrum forthe long arm 7 when the outer portion thereof is bent downward to engage the upper reinforcing bar, (see Fig. 13.) i I The modified form of the device illustrated in Figs. 14 and 15 is utilized when the reinforcing bars are located adjacent to the surface of the body of concrete in which they are embedded, and in this construction the supporting legs 1 are done away with and the curved seats 4* for the lower reinforcing. bar are united on the side opposite to the resilient legs5 and 7 by a transverse member 17. In this form of device, the resilient arms 5 and 7 are the same in construction as the corresponding arms in the form of device illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 inelusive.

The modified construction illustrated in Fig. 16 is substantially the same as that illustrated in Fig. 10 with the exception that the supporting legs are done away with and the upper bar engaging arms are united to the side of the seat for the lower bar by a transverse member 18.

Y The modified form of device illustrated in.

Figs. 17 and 18 is practically the same as the device illustrated in Figs. 12 and 13 with the exception that the supporting legs are dispensed with and the resilient arms are united to one side of the seats for the lower bar by a transverse member 19.

The forms of devices illustrated in Figs. 14 to 18 inclusive are particularly designed for use in wall construction.

Those forms of my improved device which are provided with resilient supporting legs normally maintain the reinforcing bars a substantial distance above the form or floor on which the concrete is laid, but under the weight of a workman or a wheelbarrow load of concrete, the legs will yield to a certain degree and after the weight has been removed the resiliency of the legs will return the bars to their normal positions.

The device is very easily applied to crossed reinforcing bars and when properly associated therewith very effectually ties the bars together.- The long resilient arm of each device is provided with a fulcrum whereby tension may be imparted to said arm as it is bent downward into position to engage one of the bars and such tension is effective in causing the device to grip both of the bars to which it is applied. The trans verse member which ties the lower ends of the legs together gives great lateral rigidity to the device and permits it to slide upon the form or floor without distortion and without detaching it from the engaged rods.

It will ,be readily understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of and tie can be made and substituted forthose herein shown and described, without to form resilient arms, a bar engaging hook on one of said resilient arms, which hook is adapted to engage-a bar, the other one of said arms being bent to form a transversely" disposed portion which overlies the upper one of the bars to which the device is applied and serves as a fulcrum for the arm when the same is bent into engagement with said bar, anda hook on the end of said last mentioned arm, which hook is adapted to engage the bar which is engaged by the first mentloned hook.

2. The combination with a pair of crossed reinforcing bars, of a combined support and tie formed of a single piece of resilient wire bent to form a support and a seat for the lower one of the bars, one of the end portions of said section of wire being extended to form a resilient arm, a hook on the end of said arm, which hook is adapted to engage beneath the upper one of the reinforcing bars, said arm being bent to form a transversely disposed portion which is adapted to bear upon the upper one of said bars and serves as a fulcrum for said arm when the same is bent to engage the hook beneath the upper bar and the opposite end portion of said section of wire being extended laterally from the support and terminating in a hook which is adapted to engage over the upper one of the bars.

3. The combination with a pair of crossed reinforcing bars, of a combined support and tie comprising a single section of wire bent to form a pair of connected supporting legs, the end portions of which section of wlre are extended a substantial distance laterally from said legs to form resilient bar engaging arms, hooks on said arms, one of which hooks engages on top of a reinforcing bar and the other hook on the bottom of said bar and one of said arms being bent to form a transversely disposed portion which over lies the reinforcing bar to which the hooks are applied.

4. The combination with a pair of crossed reinforcing bars, of a combined support and tie comprising a single section of wire bent to form a pair of supporting legs which are spaced a sufficient distance apart to receive one of the reinforcing bars, said section of wire being bent to form a pair of seats for the lower one of said bars, the end portions of said section of.wire being extended a substantial distance in the same direction away from said seats to form resilient bar engaging arms, one of which is bent to form a transversely disposed portion which overlies the upper one of the bars to which the device is applied and hooks on the ends of said arms, one of which hooks is adapted to engage on top of the upper reinforcing bar and the other hook being adapted to engage beneath said her.

5. A device of the class described constructed of a single section of wire bent to form a pair of supporting legs which are spaced a suflicient distance apart to receive 4 a reinforcing bar, the lower ends of which legs are connected, said section of wire being bent to form a pair of bar seats adjacent to said legs, the end port-ions of said section. of wire being extended in the same direction away from said seats to form resilient bar engaging arms, one of which is bent to form a transversely disposed or- ,tion which overlies one of the bars to w ich 

